The Observer or the Observed?

In a previous post, I shared with you my wonderful clear light dream experience, but for any just tuning in, it was a two installment dream from Oct and Dec of 2001. In October I woke up to an announcer man's voice saying; "Can the ego be dissolved; what is the role of the observer?" Then in Dec, I came back from a dream where I had known total unity with a magnificent loving light source, where I retained some sense of myself, but definitely not an ego sense. I woke up thinking, I'll never be able to explain this to anyone, not even to myself.

These two little dream experiences are on my all time hit parade. I can readily recall the blissful experience of pure being. I know people meditate years to achieve such an experience and it was given to me, who only went to sleep anticipating whatever the dream source wanted to hand out this time. I don't doubt that as J. Ziewe, author of the wonderful book on out of body experiences, Multi-Dimensional Man claims, a regular meditation practice can lead to even greater OBE and dream experiences. But amazing experiences also come through ordinary, spontaneous sleep dreams.

When I remembered these dreams while walking on the beach this Spring, I realized how lost in my head I was at that moment; so I let my ego become the Observer, seeing the breathtaking beauty before me, being present in it with all my senses. What a difference! I know that this parallels the Buddhist teaching of mindfulness, this presence in the moment; but the koan that taught me this lesson is a dream.

In the DVD program, The Way of the Dreamer with Robert Moss, Robert recounts a belief held by the Yoruba peoples of West Africa that we all have a double in heaven who watches over us. This other, higher self watches our earth life and counsels us, primarily in dreams. We may even switch roles, observer and observed, from lifetime to lifetime.

I've had a few dream visits from a twin self, one in which she's encouraging me to pursue my passion for dreams. She looks just like me, though usually her hair is different; I definitely experience her as other.

The Observer or the Observed?  It feels like the difference between coming from a spiritual center, what Jung would call the Self, and coming from the ego, the little I, given to childish, not childlike, thinking.

My dreams teach me to be present; I learn things in dreams that prove life enhancing and healing in my waking life. I've always enjoyed dreaming of my double, although it's a rare treat. Thank goodness I've kept journals to help me revisit her. Is she my guardian angel? Judging from her track record in my dreams, something like that.

 I don't think people have to run off and become Jungian scholars to appreciate a dream life and a dream practice; I think paying attention and honoring dreams is child's play, so we can all do it.

 May all our best dreams come true. May we all listen to our higher counsel, open our hearts and act with the confidence that we're not alone; we have allies and sources of inner strength, not only in dreams, but certainly available there.